Lantern

ABSTRACT

A lantern including a battery holder portion and a bulb holder portion which interfit at respective coaxial bearing surfaces so as to permit one portion to be turned relative to the other about the common axis of the bearing surfaces, each of the bearing surfaces being at least in part constituted by cooperating locking means to enable the two portions to be interfitted with a snap action to thereby hold the two relatively rotatable portions against separation in the axial direction unless a predetermined minimum separating force is applied. The two portions when assembled cooperate at the said bearing surfaces to enclose a hermetically sealed space for a battery, the battery holder portion being provided with projections or recesses for holding the battery against rotation relative to the battery holder portion, whereby when the battery is inserted, a contact thereon located eccentric to the common axis of the cooperating bearing surfaces can be engaged and disengaged with a contact on the bulb holder portion by relative rotation of said portion and the battery holder portion.

[22] Filed Oct. 10,1968

United States Patent 1 1 3,591,795

[ 72] inventor Per Neesbye-Hansen Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews Kobmagergade 22, Copenhagen K, Assistant Examiner-D. J. Clement Denmark AltorneyNolte and Nolte [2|] Appl. No, 766,400

[45} Patented July 6, 1971 ABSTRACT: A lantern including a battery holder portion and a bulb holder portion which interfit at respective coaxial hearing surfaces so as to permit one portion to be turned relative to the other about the common axis of the bearing surfaces, each of the bearing surfaces being at least in part constituted by cooperating locking means to enable the two portions to be in- [54] LANTERN terfitted with a snap action tothereby hold the two relatively 6 Claims 5 Drawing Figs- K rotatable portions against separation in the axial direction unless a predetermined minimum separating force is applied.

U.S. .r me two ortions when assembled cooperate at the aid bear- 240/6-4 ing surfaces to enclose a hermetically sealed space for a bat- [51] lnt.Cl F211 7/00 wry, the battery holder portion being provided with projec- 0f v r dons or re e es for 1 battery against rotation rela- 25 tive to the battery holder portion, whereby when the battery is 6 R f inserted, a contact thereon located eccentric to the common [5 1 e arenas Cned axis of the cooperating bearing surfaces can be engaged and UNITED STATES PATENTS disengaged with a contact on the bulb holder portion by rela- 3,014,125 12/1961 Draudt 240/6.4 tive rotation of said portion and the battery holder portion.

PATENTED JUL 6197! 33591; 795

sum 2 UF 2 INVENTOR Rm Me'zse vz-flm sslv ATTORNEYS LANTERN The invention relates to a lantern with a battery holder portion with a battery and a thereto connected bulb holder portion, said two portions being turnably and disconnectably connected with each other by means of a cylindrical portion on each of the portions, one of said cylindrical portion being able to slip over the other portion, while said first portion on its inner side and said second portion on its outer side have circumferential edge portions and are resilient in such a manner that the edges, when one portion is inserted in the other may engage each other like a snap lock and retain the battery holder portion and the bulb holder portion with a predetermined force against axial displacement, said portions having mutually cooperating pairs of contact members, one of the latter pairs being eccentrically arranged and serving as breaker members during rotation of the two portions in relation to each other.

Lanterns are known which have a screw thread connection between a battery holder and a bulb holder portion. When the battery is to be replaced the two portions are unscrewed apart. When the two portions thereafter are assembled, difficulties may arise in obtaining the correct screw thread engagement, and the screw threads may be damaged. Furthermore, an axial displacement of the contact members will take place in relation to each other when the lantern is turned on and off, and the same contact will not be realized each time. As the fastening of the battery must take place by turning it several times there is not obtained a natural stop corresponding to the on arid off states.

Lanterns of the type indicated are also known having a bayonet lock engagement between a battery holder and a bulb holder portion. A projection on one portion is guided into a T- shaped or L-shaped slit in the other portion. it is possible to move the projection to and fro in the horizontal portion of the slit, and when the projection reaches the vertical portion of the slit the two lantern portions may be pulled apart from each other. Such a lantern must therefore be provided with special locking means to prevent the portions being pulled apart during the manipulations for lighting or shutting off the lantern, and therefore the lantems cost is increased while the replacement of the battery is rendered more difficult. A furtherdisadvantage of such lanterns with bayonet locks lies in the fact that moisture may through the vertical portion of the slit into the interior of the lantern and thereby damage the latter.

The object of the invention is to provide a lantern of the type indicated which may be manufactured at low cost, which can be assembled quickly after replacing the battery, which af fords a reliable contact function, and where there is obtained a good seal against penetration of moisture. This is obtained ac cording to the invention by the fact that the two cylindrical portions and their edges are designed in such a manner that after being assembled they fonn a hermetically sealed space at the bottom of which there is provided projections or recesses to, immovably retain the battery in relation to the battery holder portion. It is very easy to carry out assembly or disassembly of the portions by means of such a snap engagement, and this takes place by pushing the portions towards each other and pulling them away from each other. If the edges are provided with serrations the force necessary for assembly or disassembly may be defined separately by the dimensions of the-edges so that there is not risked incorrect servicing or damage of some part when the snap engagement is established or broken. When lighting or putting ofl" the lantern the turning movement will consist of a pure turning movement without axial displacement and therefore there will be obtained the same contact pressure every time, and it will be the on and off states, it being possible to mold the stop members together with the edges in a single operation so that the provision of such members will not entail an increase in the cost of the lantern. As the portions of the snap engagement are pressed against each other, and no vertical slits exist, there will be obtained a good seal against penetration of moisture.

According to the invention the battery holder portion may consist of a flat bottom portion. With this design it will be difficult for outside persons to guess how the lantern is put on and off.

According to the invention the two cylindrical portions may be provided with mutually engaging inner projections which allow a predetermined rotation of the two portions in relation to each other, said projections being arranged in such a manner that the connection between the cooperating members is established in the second end position.

The invention will be described more in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, where FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through an embodiment of a lantern according to the invention;

FIG. 2 a vertical section through a second embodiment of a lantern according to the invention;

FIG. 3 a larger scale view of a vertical section through the snap engagement for the lantern shown in FIG. 1;

'FIG. 4 a vertical section along line lV-lV in FIG. 5 of a fourth embodiment of a lantern according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 a section along line V-V in FlG. 4.

The lantern shown in FIG. 1 has a housing 1 consisting of a plastic tube having a circumferential groove 2 on the inner side of its lower region. A bottom plate 3 has four upwards projecting members 4 which on their outer side have a rib 5 resiliently engaging the groove 2. The bottom plate 3 may at its edge have knurls so that it may be employed as a turning handle. At a location on the periphery it has a recess 6 which is employed to remove the bottom plate from the container '1, a knife being inserted in the recess and being manipulated-in such a manner that the ribs 5 are pulled out of engagement with the groove -2. In the housing 1, there is fastened a rivet 7 forming a stop abutment for the turning of the bottom plate 3 when the projections 4 abut the rivet. The inner side of the projections 4 are made in such a manner that they provide a tight fit around the lower end of the battery 8 having a square cross section. The battery 8 at its upper side has a centrally arranged resilient contact member 9 and an eccentrically arranged contact member 10.

At the top of the housing 1, an angle iron is fastened by means of rivets 11, said angle iron having a vertical arm 12 and a horizontal arm 13, the horizontal branch having a hole for a bolt 14 which extends up through a hole in a circular plastic plate 15, further on inside an annular lamp glass 16 and up through a hole in a cover 17, a nut 18 being screwed on its upper end. The plastic plate is supported by the upper edge of the housing 1, and on said plastic plate there is arranged a sealing ring '19 having outwardly directed collar. The lower edge of the lantern glass 16 is supported by the ring 19, and the cover 17 is supported by the upper edge of said lantern glass. On the upper side of the plastic plate 15 there is fastened a box-shaped container 20 in which there is provided a periodically operating breaker, not shown. At its under side the plastic plate 15 has a centrally arranged contact member 21 which at all times is in contact with the contact member 9, and an eccentrically arranged contact member 22 which, in one end position of the bottom plate 3 and thereby the battery 8, is in contact with the contact member 10, while said contact member 22 is brought out of contact with member 10 when the bottom plate 3 is turned to the other end position. The contact members 21 and 22 are connected with the periodically operating breaker mechanism in the container 20.

At its upper side the box shaped container 20 has two connecting screws with nuts 23 and 24, whereby a plate 25 of insulating material is fastened to the container 20. At the underside of the plate there is applied a coating of conductive material which is severed by means of an incision 26 so that two conductive regions are formed, one of the latter being connected with the nut 23 and the other being connected with the nut 24. At the upper side of the plate 25 there is fasteneda bulb socket 27 for a bulb 28, each of the two terminals being connected to one of the conductive regions on the lower side of the plate 25 by means of soldering.

On each end of the plate one end of springs, 29 and 30 respectively, are attached by soldering forming thereby an electrical connection with the said conductive regions. On the upper end of the two screw springs 29 and 30 a plate is soldered made in the same manner as the plate 25. On this plate there is soldered a bulb socket 32 for insertion of a downwardly directed bulb 33. This arrangement is used when the lantern for safety purposes has two bulbs.

The cover 17 has two upwardly projecting ears 34 and 37, the ear 37 being provided with an opening surrounded by a recess, while the other ear 34 is made with a screw-threaded opening. A bolt supporting a lantern handle 38 is inserted through the former opening, and its end is screwed into the screw opening whereby the head 36 of the bolt is arranged in the recess. The bolt 35 extendsjust above the nuts 18 so that the latter cannot be screwed loose before the bolt 35 has been loosened and removed, and to screw the latter loose it is necessary to employ a socket spanner.

When replacing the battery the bottom plate is removed. When replacing the bulb the bolts 18 are released, and the entire upper part is removed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has a battery housing molded in plastic having a bottom 39 and a lateral wall 40 molded integrally with the bottom 39. At the bottom 39 there are arranged inner projections 41, the inner side of which are designed for a tight fit around the lower end of the battery 8. At the top of the housing there is made a circumferential groove 42. At the upper edge of the house 39, 40 there is arranged a molded plastic portion consisting of a circular plate 43 and projections 44 projecting down from the plate 43, said projections 44, at their outer sides, having a rib 45 resiliently engaging the groove 42. Otherwise this embodiment corresponds to the lantern shown in FIG. 1. The upper portion of the lantern comprising the lantern glass 16 and cover 17 may be turned in relation to the housing 39, 40 whereby contact between the battery and the mechanism in the box 20 may be established or broken. When the battery is to be replaced the entire upper portion is pulled away from the container 39, 40 by releasing the engagement between the ribs 45 and the groove 42. When replacing the bulb, the nuts 18 are released so that the upper portion is disassembled.

The lantern shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has a housing which at its upper side has an upward projecting rib 51 in which there is arranged a bulb holder 20 essentially corresponding to the holder shown in FIG. 1 or 2. On the upper side of the housing 50, there is fastened a dome-shaped lantern glass 52, the latters lower edge being pressed down into a circular groove 53 in the upper side of the housing 50, and is retained in said groove by means of a projecting edge 54 which engages a thickened rim 55 on the lantern glass. A square battery 8 is retained in the housing 50 by means of a bottom portion 56 which is rotatably fastened to the housing 50 by means of a snap mechanism consisting of an edge 57 on the bottom portion, said edge engaging a groove 58 in the inner side of the housing. The bottom portion has four projections 59 engaging the lower portion of the battery 8 and retaining the latter untumably in relation to the bottom portion. The lantern shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is, as the one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 provided with contacts 21 and 22 cooperating with contacts 9 and 10 on the battery 8. By turning the bottom portion 56, the lantern may thereby be lit and shut off. The housing 50 has two projections 60 on its inner side, the battery abutting said projections when turned, whereby the battery's movement is limited to a rotation to and fro between an on position and an off position.

The shown and described embodiments are only to be considered by way of example as several variations are conceivable within the scope of the invention. Thus, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may be modified in such a manner that the members 11, 12, 13, and 15 are replaced by members 42, 43, 44 and 45, special members being arranged to ensure that either only the upper portion may be turned or only the bottom lplate may be turned. However, a variation is conceivable in w lCh both the upper portion and the bottom plate may be turned so that it is necessary to turn both components in order to light the lantern.

The bulb holder portion may advantageously have two eccentrically arranged contact members, both cooperating with an eccentrically arranged contact member on the battery, one of said two eccentrically arranged contact members being connected with an intermittent light mechanism, whereas the other serves for constant light, and said two contact members being arranged corresponding to the two end positions of the turning movement whereas the lantern is doused in an intermediate position.

I claim:

1.'A lantern comprising a battery holder portion and a bulb holder portion which interfit at respective coaxial bearing surfaces to permit one portion to be turned relative to the other about the common axis of said surfaces, each of said surfaces being at least in part constituted by cooperating locking means to enable the two portions to be interfitted with a snap action, to thereby hold the two relatively rotatable portions against separation in the axial direction unless a predetermined minimum separating force is applied, the two portions when assembled cooperating at the said bearing surfaces to enclose a hermetically sealed space for a battery and the battery holder portion being provided with means for holding said battery against rotation relative to said battery holder portion, whereby when the battery is inserted, a contact thereon located eccentric to the common axis of the cooperating bearing surfaces can be engaged and disengaged with a contact on the bulb holder portion by relative rotation of said portion and the battery holder portion.

2. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said battery holder portion consists of a generally flat closure for one end of said bulb holder portion.

3. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said means provided on said battery holder portion constitute projections.

4. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said means provided on said battery holder portion constitute recesses.

5. A lantern according to claim I, wherein said battery holder portion and said bulb holder portion are each provided with mutually engaging inner projections which only allow a predetermined rotation of the two portions in relation to each other, said projections being arranged in such a manner that the connection between the cooperating contacts is established in one end position.

6. A lantern according to claim 3, wherein said bulb holder portion includes two eccentrically arranged contacts for cooperating with the eccentrically arranged contact on the battery, one of said two eccentrically arranged contacts on the bulb holder portion being connected with an intermittent light mechanism whereas the other serves for constant light, the said two contacts on the bulb holder portionbeing respectively engaged by the battery contact in the two end positions of the relative turning movement of the two portions whereas the lantern in unlit in an intermediate position. 

1. A lantern comprising a battery holder portion and a bulb holder portion which interfit at respective coaxial bearing surfaces to permit one portion to be turned relative to the other about the common axis of said surfaces, each of said surfaces being at least in part constituted by cooperating locking means to enable the two portions to be interfitted with a snap action, to thereby hold the two relatively rotatable portions against separation in the axial direction unless a predetermined minimum separating force is applied, the two portions when assembled cooperating at the said bearing surfaces to enclose a hermetically sealed space for a battery and the battery holder portion being provided with means for holding said battery against rotation relative to said battery holder portion, whereby when the battery is inserted, a contact thereon located eccentric to the common axis of the cooperating bearing surfaces can be engaged and disengaged with a contact on the bulb holder portion by relative rotation of said portion and the battery holder portion.
 2. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said battery holder portion consists of a generally flat closure for one end of said bulb holder portion.
 3. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said means provided on said battery holder portion constitute projections.
 4. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said means provided on said battery holder portion constitute recesses.
 5. A lantern according to claim 1, wherein said battery holder portion and said bulb holder portion are each provided with mutually engaging inner projections which only allow a predetermined rotation of the two portions in relation to each other, said projections being arranged in such a manner that the connection between the cooperating contacts is established in one end position.
 6. A lantern according to claim 3, wherein said bulb holder portion includes two eccentrically arranged contacts for cooperating with the eccentrically arranged contact on the battery, one of said two eccentrically arranged contacts on the bulb holder portion being connected with an intermittent light mechanism whereas the other serves for constant light, the said two contacts on the bulb holder portion being respectively engaged by the battery contact in the two end positions of the relative turning movement of the two portions whereas the lantern in unlit in an intermediate position. 